Broken
by rayj829
Summary: In the wake of the aftermath of a tragic accident that rocks the lives of our favorite Upper East Siders, how will Chuck Bass and his young son be able to go on? Can his friends and family keep Chuck from losing it all over again? **Warning: quite sad/tragic! Be sure to have tissues nearby!**
1. Chapter 1

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open_  
 _And I don't feel like I am strong enough_  
 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
 _And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

* * *

Chuck walked back into the bedroom after getting ready in their en suite only to spy his wife still fast asleep on her side of the bed with their barely three year old daughter spread out in the middle.

"Hey," he gently called to his wife, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her as she began to stir.

"Mmm... what time is it?" Blair groaned, still asleep and exhausted at having been kept up half the night by their young daughter. At about 4 in the morning she resigned to just letting the girl sleep in bed with them as she kept having nightmares about goblins and the goblin king coming to take her away. She could have murdered Chuck for letting the kids watch Labyrinth last night before bed.

"Almost 7," Chuck replied, smiling at the sight of how beautiful she looked in her sleep.

"Ugh... are the kids awake?" she questioned as she rolled over onto her back, forgetting there was a child there.

"Charlotte is still asleep beside you there, I think I heard Henry downstairs in the kitchen with Dorota," he quietly informed her as he began to tie his tie.

"I should probably get up then too..." Blair muttered, clearly still tired.

"Don't worry about it – I'll stick around a bit, take Henry to school on my way to work... save Arthur the mileage on the limo... you take the morning off and catch up on sleep with her – I heard you two up late," he confessed, smiling as he looked over at his princess, sleeping soundly now.

"Well I guess it's only fair, considering I have you to thank for that," Blair teased as she snuggled back onto her side.

"I'm sorry... I didn't think she'd have a problem with it," he admitted.

"Well, if she's up again all night tonight... you're up too," she stated with a peaceful smile.

"Agreed," Chuck stated as he smiled back at her. Truth was, he didn't mind staying up with her. That little girl was his world and everyone knew it. She had him wrapped around her little finger from the moment she was born. "I should probably make sure Henry's about ready to go and get to work myself," he announced as he leaned down and kissed his wife goodbye. "Love you."

"Sounds good," Blair nodded as she returned his kiss with a soft one of her own before attempting to go back to sleep. "Love you too, Chuck and don't forget - we have dinner with the Carlisle's tonight at six," she reminded him as she snuggled into her pillow.

"I won't," Chuck assured her as he reached over and gently stroked his sleeping little girl's cheek, carefully pushing a stray curl behind her ear. She was the smitten image of her mother at that age.

Quietly, Chuck made his way to the door, careful to close it as silently as he could but not before taking in one last look back at the two females in his life that meant the most to him. While Blair was his moon, always having guided him through the darkness, Charlotte was his bright and shining star. He couldn't have been happier for the family he was blessed with.

* * *

"Yes mother, I can stop by the atelier shortly and check on the fabrics, however make sure Jean-Pierre knows I will have the children with me as we're on our way to pickup Henry from school," Blair spoke into her phone as she rode with her young daughter in her and Chuck's beloved limo. Hanging up the phone, she smiled over at the child, strapped in her booster seat, gently reached over to readjust her headband.

"Mommy, it's fine," the little girl giggled as Blair combed through her hair with her fingers.

"Yes, well it's important to always look our best when in public," Blair reminded her. "Prim and proper as Grandmere would say... but with a dash of charm and fun," she added with a grin.

"Can we go visit daddy after we get brother?" Charlotte wondered as she looked out the window in awe, curious to the world around her.

"Not today, sweetie – we have to stop by the atelier so mommy can approve some fabrics for Grandmere," Blair regretfully informed her as the little girl began to pout. She knew how much her daughter adored Chuck. While Chuck had been a sadden that Henry had become quite the mama's boy when he was little, Charlotte turned out to be a total daddy's girl. "Tell you what, if mommy can get in and out quickly, we'll see if we can't stop by and surprise daddy by picking him up from work early, okay?" she suggested, hoping that maybe that response would satisfy her.

"Okay, mommy," Charlotte agreed after contemplating the deal momentarily. "And then ice cream at Serendipity?" she asked with a gleam of hope in her eye.

"We'll see," Blair told her. "Your father and I have a business dinner tonight so we may not be able to this afternoon."

"Okay..." she frowned. Charlotte Bass loved ice cream and she knew her brother did too.

"If we don't go today maybe this weekend," Blair offered, knowing that that was a plan she could definitely keep.

She smiled at her daughter who smiled back at her in acknowledgment, a twinkle in her eye. She hadn't noticed they were stopped in traffic and she had no sooner felt the impact of the crash, throwing her against the vehicle, when everything went black.

* * *

"Chuck Bass," Chuck answered the phone at his office, his secretary citing it being an urgent call from the police.

"Yes, Mr. Bass... this is Sergeant Reyes with the NYPD," the man spoke over the phone.

"What seems to be the problem officer?" Chuck inquired, curious as to why the police were contacting him. He couldn't think of anything business-wise that would be of police concern.

"Sir, I regret to have to tell you this, but your wife and daughter have been in a car accident," Sergeant Reyes continued.

"I see, how serious are we talking?" Chuck wondered as he sat straight in his seat, leaning onto the desk.

"It's pretty serious... your wife is being rushed to Mercy Hospital. It's important you get here as soon as possible," Sergeant Reyes advised.

"I'm on my way," Chuck stated as he stood to his feet, hanging up the phone and grabbing his jacket hanging on the coat stand on his way out the door. "Susan, call Arthur, have him pull the car around and have Lily pick up Henry," he requested in a hurry.

"But sir..." the receptionist started only for him to cut her off.

"No, buts Susan – call the car around," Chuck ordered, growing impatient.

"But sir, Arthur was driving your wife and daughter to pick up your son from school... he was in the accident," Susan hesitantly informed him.

"Shit..." Chuck muttered in frustration as he tried to think. "Fine, just call me a car and have it waiting for me by the time I get downstairs," he barked as he quickly swung his jacket on and proceeded towards the elevator.

* * *

"I was called regarding a car accident," Chuck spoke as he reached the front desk at the emergency room.

"Chuck Bass?" a doctor standing nearby, speaking with an officer he assumed to be Sergeant Reyes, approached immediately.

"Yes – I was called at work... my wife, daughter and driver were apparently involved in some sort of accident?" Chuck inquired as he addressed the man before him.

"Mr. Bass... is there someone you can call..." the doctor started his voice trailing. Chuck's gut told him something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

"My wife, where is she?" he questioned once more, growing more concerned by each passing moment. "I was told they were rushing her here."

"I regret to inform you sir... the team did what they could in the ambulance but well, she was pronounced dead on arrival," the doctor spoke, hanging his head, unable to look Chuck in the eye.

"No... no that can't be right..." Chuck stuttered, refusing to believe what he was told. "What about my daughter? Where is she?" he asked, beginning to fear the worst but hoping so much for something else. Anything else.

"She... she was pronounced dead at the scene," the man told him, a lump in his through. "Your driver was the only one that survived. He should be out of surgery soon."

Chuck stood there, completely speechless for a moment.

"Is... is there someone we could call for you, sir?" Sergeant Reyes questioned, trying to help, knowing there was no way any man should be completely alone while he processed news like this.

"Lily Van der Woodsen," Chuck muttered as he continued to stand there in disbelief. "Who... who did this?" he requested to know.

"It was a drunk driver... a man visiting from Rhode Island... your vehicle was stopped in traffic when the driver ran the red light at full speed, crashing right into the back of the limousine.

Chuck listened, trying to picture the scene that was just described.

"We don't think your daughter suffered," the doctor quickly added, as if that would somehow make him feel any better about the situation.

"Is he still alive?"

"Who?"

"The other driver," Chuck clarified.

"Yes, unfortunately he did survive the accident, sustaining non-life threatening injuries," the doctor sadly told him, knowing it wasn't fair. For some reason, these types of accidents never seemed fair – the innocent parties losing the most while the ones responsible got to walk away.

"Can I see him?" Chuck spoke with no emotion as he continued to stare off in space.

"Sir, I don't think that's a good-"

"Can I or can I not see him?" Chuck asked once more, anger seeping into his tone. "I'd like to inform him myself of the mess he's caused and that I will be pressing charges to the fullest extent," Chuck seethed as he stared the officer down.

"I... I suppose I can escort you..." Sergeant Reyes agreed. Everyone knew that Chuck Bass would have his way one way or another. At least this way security would be present if Chuck were to go off the deep end.

* * *

"Whoa... you're Chuck Bass!" the young man spoke as he laid propped up in the hospital bed, having seen Chuck standing in the doorway.

"Yes, I am," Chuck firmly spoke as he took a step inside, Sergeant Reyes following closely behind him.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure? I hear you're like a legend in this city!" the man stated with enthusiasm. "Making celebrity charity appearances at the hospital?" he guessed with a slight grin.

"Hardly... I wish that were the case," Chuck seethed as he approached the man's bed. Seeing him hooked up to very few machines, very few scars visible aside from an obvious broken arm in a cast... Chuck wished he could break the other arm for him, along with the rest of his limbs. His neck especially.

"Then... what?" the man questioned, confused.

"Believe me, I fully understand the joys of day-drinking, better than most I would guess, but what you did today..."

"Oh, the whole accident thing? Was that your car I hit? Look man, I'm really sorry about that... I'm sure my insurance can cover it," he began to apologize.

"You have no idea?!" Chuck barked at the man in complete disbelief.

"What? It's just a car, right?"

"My wife and daughter were in that car!" Chuck screamed at the man.

"Oh, shit..." the man mouthed, barely audible.

"Oh, shit is right," Chuck snapped back at him. "I hope whatever you were celebrating at 3 in the afternoon was worth it because it not only cost the lives of my wife and three year old, but I'll make sure you rot in jail for the rest of your life you piece of shit," Chuck hissed as he stared the man down, clearly making him fear him. "Consider your life over as well," he announced as he turned to walk away.

He had nothing more to say to the man and knew that if he stayed any longer he would likely do something he'd ultimately regret.

* * *

"Charles, I got here as soon as I could," Lily declared as soon as she spotted him in the waiting room. He had been waiting for Arthur to get out of surgery as he needed to speak with him. Needed to know what happened. "Your secretary mentioned there was an accident when she called to ask me to get Henry... Where's Blair? And Charlotte?" she quickly inquired as she took a seat next to him.

"Dead. They're both dead," Chuck spoke as he stared straight ahead, his expression blank as his hands absentmindedly fiddled with his daughter's small purple headband that had been retrieved from the scene of the accident. His mind was racing with emotions and he wasn't quite sure how to process them all. Blair had always been the one to help him through times like this.

"What?! Oh my god, what happened?!" Lily exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock.

"Some drunk bastard ran a red light and crashed right into them at full speed," he told her, his voice void of emotion. "Where's Henry?" he questioned, turning to face her for the first time since she had sat down next to him.

"I had just picked him up when I got the call from some police officer saying I needed to come meet you here – not knowing the seriousness of the accident, I dropped Henry off with Serena and told her to wait home with him til we knew more information," Lily informed him as she reached for his hand. "Charles I am so, so sorry..." she began to quietly cry, putting an arm around him as she buried her face in his shoulder, giving his hand a squeeze in comfort.

"Mr. Bass, your driver is out of surgery now and awake if you'd like to see him," the doctor approached, drawing Chuck out of his thoughts and capturing his attention.

"Arthur's alive?" Lily spoke, lifting her head, a tiny bit of hope in her voice.

"Yes," Chuck simply responded as he sat forward, straightening out his jacket and running a hand through his hair in a failed attempt to smooth it out. "And unfortunately so is the drunk driver," he muttered as he stood. "I'll be back shortly – feel free to wait around, however I think after I check on Arthur I'm just going to go home... I already signed the release papers to the funeral home," he told her.

"Charles... if there's anything you need, you know we're all here for you both," Lily called after him as she watched the doctor lead him to a corridor. She was left sitting there, speechless and completely in shock. Blair and Charlotte had meant the world to Chuck. She had no idea how he was going to get through this and prayed that he would be able to weather the impending storm they all knew would be coming.

* * *

"I'm sorry, sir... we were sitting in traffic... the light at the intersection was green... we were halted waiting to pass through it... the other driver ran the red light – I didn't realize what had happened until it was too late and the car had already impacted with ours," Arthur apologized, quickly trying to explain.

"It's not your fault... you did nothing wrong," Chuck solemnly told his trusted driver of many years. "I don't think there was anything you could have done..." his voice trailed as he thought the scenario over. They were basically just sitting ducks, he thought to himself.

"I just... I feel so terrible sir," Arthur stated, not really knowing what else to say. "I don't know what to say or do... I know none of it will make things any better..."

"What you can do, is get better," Chuck instructed him. "You have nothing to worry about, I know you did nothing wrong... I'm not firing you so you're still my driver. As soon as you're feeling up to it, I expect you back in my employ, do you understand?" he firmly asked. Regardless of what happened, Arthur was still his most trusted and loyal driver. The only other help that came anywhere close in comparison was Dorota.

"Yes, sir," Arthur responded, relived to still be in service to his charge of at least two decades. "Doctor's say I should be well enough to drive again in about two to three weeks," he reported.

"Good, I'll see you then," Chuck stated as he proceeded to leave. He was relieved that at least someone he cared about survived the crash.

* * *

"Daddy!" Henry exclaimed as he came rushing to his father the moment Chuck walked through the front door. "Where's mommy and Charlotte?" he asked immediately when he realized his father was alone.

"Chuck, what's going on? I haven't heard from mom since she told me to bring Henry home," Serena spoke as she joined her stepbrother and nephew in the foyer. "How's Blair?" she quietly mouthed to him, unsure as to what he wanted to tell Henry.

Chuck merely shook his head no as he picked up his eight year old son and held him tightly.

"Charlotte?" she mouthed once more, a look of confusion on her face, not quite following what he meant.

Once again, over Henry's shoulder he shook his head no once more.

"Chuck, I... I don't understand," Serena confessed.

With a sigh, Chuck placed his son back on his feet. "Hey Hen, why don't you go play for a little bit in your room - daddy needs to talk to Aunt Serena and make a few phone calls," he told his son, not quite sure as to how to break the news to him.

"Okay... but where's mommy and Charlotte? They didn't come home with you?" he wondered.

"No, they didn't, Hen. We'll talk about it in a bit, okay?" Chuck responded, hoping his answer would suffice.

"Aunt Serena said you were at the hospital – is that where mommy and Charlotte are? Can we go see them?" he inquired once more, wanting an answer.

"I was at the hospital," Chuck confirmed, glaring at Serena who merely mouthed an apologetic 'sorry', knowing she was now in the doghouse. "However, we'll discuss that in a bit, okay? Right now I just need you to go upstairs and play for a bit. I need to talk to Aunt Serena about some grown-up stuff, okay?"

"Grown-up stuff... that's what you and mommy say when you want to be alone together," the boy remarked as he reluctantly started up the stairs. He never saw his father's eyes begin to well up at the mention of his mother and father having alone time.

"Chuck, what's going?" Serena demanded to know, pulling him into the first floor office as soon as they heard Henry's door shut upstairs.

"Is Dorota still here?" Chuck asked her, figuring it'd be better to tell them both at the same time than having to repeat himself anymore than necessary. He was already dreading the calls he was going to have to make this evening to both Eleanor and Cyrus and Harold and Roman and he was especially struggling with how to break the news to Henry.

"Yeah, she's in the kitchen – we saved you dinner," Serena informed him.

"Go bring her here please, I'll call Nate," he requested as he pulled out his phone, seeing just how fast Nate could get there.

"Chuck, please... what happened?" Serena asked once more, hating knowing that there was something he wasn't telling her right away. Something big.

"Just go get Dorota please – I'll tell you all as soon as Nate arrives," he assured her as Nate texted back saying he was on his way.

* * *

"Okay, so what's going on, Chuck? You've gathered us all here, Henry's up in his room..." Nate started, curious as to the situation.

"Mom won't tell me anything yet, saying I should talk to you," Serena added, having grown impatient.

"I figured it'd be best to tell you at the same time... God knows I hate repeating myself and I have at least two phone calls to make tonight as well as break the news to my son..." Chuck informed them all as he sat on the front of his desk in the home office with Serena, Nate and Dorota now standing across from him.

"Mister Chuck, just tell us," Dorota requested, curious as well as concerned.

"As you all heard, there was an accident this afternoon, Arthur was driving Blair and Charlotte to pick Henry up from school," he started as they all nodded, having already been aware of that fact. He assumed his secretary had told Lily that much who then passed the information along to their closest friends and family. "Arthur had surgery... he's out of commission for a few weeks, but other than that he'll be fine, and of course the drunk driver that ran the red light managed to escape with just a few cuts, bruises and a broken arm," Chuck seethed.

"Okay, but what about Blair and Charlotte?" Nate pressed him, growing more and more anxious as Chuck continued to put it off.

"They didn't make it..." he finally told them, hanging his head in sorrow as he closed his eyes. He had yet to fully shed tears since hearing the news and he really rather preferred to do such a thing in private, alone.

"What?!" Serena exclaimed in absolute shock. "Didn't make it, what do you mean they didn't make it?"

"Serena," Nate called to her, trying to calm her down. He knew what Chuck was saying, dreading that that was why he had called them all there.

"They rushed Blair to hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival. Charlotte was apparently pronounced dead at the scene... fortunately they don't think she suffered," he explained, biting his upper lip, unable to say anymore at that moment.

"No!" Serena shrieked, breaking into hysterics as Chuck watched Nate try and calm her down.

"Serena, it's okay... it's okay," Nate held her tightly.

"Why?! Why?!" she cried over and over again, beating Nate's arm with her fists in frustration. She didn't understand. "Why her?! And why Charlotte?! She was still just a baby!" she sobbed, eventually collapsing into Nate's arms as he guided them over to the couch in the center of the room.

Chuck just held his head in his hand as he wondered the same thing himself.

"No... no..." he heard Dorota continuously utter to herself as she paced around the room. He was pretty sure he heard her curse in polish a few times.

* * *

"Hey, do you want me to stick around or anything?" Nate offered once Serena and Dorota had calmed down enough to leave without alerting Henry upstairs and after him and Chuck had made sure to call rides for both of them.

"It's alright, Nathaniel," Chuck told him. "While I appreciate the sentiment, I still need to call her parents and break the news to Henry..." To be completely honest, all he really wanted was to be alone.

"Alright man, but you know I'm here for you if there's anything at all you need, okay?" Nate reminded him. He remembered how much his best friend had spiraled when his dad first died. Without Blair around this time to help him through it, he knew Chuck was going to need all the support he could get and Nate was determined to do whatever it took to help.

Nate had no sooner left when Chuck retreated to the office once more, calling Eleanor first and then Harold. Both broke into uncontrollable sobs when he told them the news, Eleanor going into hysterics much like Serena had. He had assured them both someone would be in touch regarding funeral plans and they both confirmed that they would both be in town with their respective spouses within the next few days.

Glancing over at the clock, he noted it was already past eleven. As he ascended the stairs, Chuck prayed that Henry had fallen asleep already and wasn't still awake, waiting to bombard him with questions regarding his mother and sister. At this point, Chuck was both drained emotionally and physically. He hoped maybe he could get his son to put it off until at least tomorrow, giving him some time to sleep on how best to break it to the child.

"Daddy?" a small voice spoke up from behind him as he had just reached his bedroom door, his hand on the doorknob. "Aren't you going to tuck me in and tell me goodnight?" the boy questioned, even more confused as to what was going on.

"I'm sorry, Hen," Chuck apologized as he pressed his forehead to the door, pausing for a moment before turning to face his son. "It's very late, I figured you had fallen asleep already," he confessed as he began to approach the child, walking him back down the hall towards his room.

"It's okay," Henry told him as he walked hand in hand with his father. "I already got ready for bed all by myself but I stayed up reading, waiting for you to come say goodnight," he informed him with a proud smile.

"Smart boy," Chuck told him as he picked him up once they reached his room and carried him over to his bed, laying him down and beginning to tuck him in.

"Goodnight, Hen – I love you," Chuck told him as he kissed him on the forehead and proceeded to stand to leave.

"Wait, daddy..." Henry called to him before he got too far. "Where's Charlotte and mommy? Isn't mommy going to tell me goodnight? And why did Aunt Serena scream earlier? I could hear her all the way up here," he began to question all at once, sitting straight up in his bed.

"Henry..." Chuck sighed as he furrowed his brow with his thumb and index finger. "Can we please just get some sleep tonight and we'll talk about this in the morning?" he pleaded.

"No! You said earlier when you came home that we would talk about it later – this is later," Henry pointed out, crossing his arms with a huff. "Where's mommy?" he demanded at once.

"Henry-"

"I can't go to sleep until she kisses me goodnight!" Henry yelled, not understanding why his father wouldn't just tell him where his mother was. "Where is she? Where's mommy?"

"She's gone, Henry, okay? She's gone and she's never coming back!" Chuck blurted out in a spout of anger, not realizing what he had just said until it was too late. His young son had pushed him over the edge he had been so carefully toeing all evening.

"What? Gone where? You're lying!" Henry yelled back, not believing what his father had just said.

"Trust me, Hen, I wish I was..." Chuck muttered as he fought to stay strong in that moment.

"No! Mommy wouldn't do that to me! She wouldn't leave me! She wouldn't!" Henry screamed as he burst into tears.

"She's gone, Henry... they're both gone," Chuck softly spoke as he took a seat on his son's bed once more, attempting to pull the boy into his arms.

"No... no... mommy wouldn't leave me," Henry sobbed, fighting against his father's embrace at first before surrendering and eventually clinging to him in return.

It was then that Chuck finally broke, his son in his arms. He realized it was just the two of them now, the rest of his world completely shattered. Despite his earlier desire to just be alone, he knew there was no way Henry would be able to sleep by himself tonight after what he had learned so he didn't bother protesting when little boy requested for his father to stay with him tonight, snuggling tight in his arms as he eventually drifted off to sleep, sobbing althroughout the night as he struggled to make sense of it all.

* * *

 _AN: I know, this one's quite sad and tragic... I recently came across a post in my Facebook newsfeed about a mother who was a survivor in a horrific drunk driving accident that killed her husband and young son (however I recall the drunk driver survived as well) and that sort of inspired this idea._

 _This is going to be a shorter story - originally I had divided it into 2 parts, the initial accident and aftermath in the first part and the long-term affects a year later, however after rereading and editing it I realized it worked better as a 3 parter, with the events of the funeral getting it's own chapter (plus, I hate to work too many emotional feels into one chapter as I know there's only so much one can take!)._

 _I'll be posting part 2 soon as it's all ready to go - let me know you want this continued as well as your thoughts, reactions and predictions and perhaps I'll post it even sooner ;-)_


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Keep your tissues handy!_

* * *

"The visitation is in an hour, how are you not even ready?!" Nate exclaimed upon entering the Bass townhouse and finding Chuck on the verge of being passed out on the couch in the living room, several bottles of scotch lie empty around him. He had to admit, he was thankful that Chuck had agreed to letting Henry stay with Lily for the night, being aware of the fact that there was no way he'd be able to ensure both him and the boy were ready in time. Clearly, Chuck could barely take care of himself this morning.

"Why should I torture myself? They're already gone..." Chuck mumbled as he struggled to sit up.

"Because it's your wife and daughter, you're expected to be there – your son's going to be there, how do you think it would look or how he would feel being there with his father nowhere in sight?" Nate questioned, reminding him before rushing upstairs to retrieve a few of Chuck's items for the day.

"But what's the point?" Chuck couldn't help wondering as he let Nate attempt to slip on his suit jacket and spray him down good with cologne. "And for the record, I didn't want Henry to be there – you all insisted on it," his voice trailed as he took another sip from his last glass of scotch he had been nursing. "I'm pretty sure everyone would understand if I skipped out..." he dawdled.

"She wouldn't have wanted this, man," Nate told him as he continued to struggle. "Damnit, really? Shoes on the wrong feet again?!" he exclaimed, recalling when Blair and him went to pick up Chuck for his father's funeral so many years ago. He couldn't help thinking how much easier it was back then having Blair's help and her taking charge of keeping Chuck on task. He had no idea how he was going to do this without her.

"It doesn't matter what she would have wanted - she's dead Nathaniel!" Chuck began to seethe. "The selfish ass hole that chose to drive drunk gets to live while I'm forced to bury my innocent daughter and tell my son that his mother is never coming back!"

"I know man, I know - it sucks, and life's not fair. But don't throw everything else away because of some dick - you still have Henry!" Nate pointed out as he used all his weight to pull Chuck to his feet. "He needs his dad and today you need to help him honor his mother and sister and see that they both were loved. So, come and walk with me - you know you'll regret it if you don't go."

"Fine," Chuck grumbled as he allowed Nate to steady him and lead the way out the door.

Despite remembering Blair arguing with Chuck the last time they went through this, Nate didn't even try fighting him off when he began to raid the minibar in the new limo.

* * *

By the time they arrived at the church, the open casket visitation was already underway. Even though he was fully loaded enough to numb the pain a good bit, Chuck momentarily sobered up just enough to check his appearance in the limo's pull down ceiling mirror, attempting to smooth his hair. Try as he may, he still looked terrible with dark circles under his eyes which were glazed over from being both drunk and having cried so much the past few days.

"Let's go," he stated as Nate exited the vehicle and proceeded to help him out.

He was pleased with the way everything had turned out and not too surprised by the amount of people who had showed up. They were a prominent force to be reckoned with in Manhattan, having business associates all throughout the world. There wasn't anyone who was anyone who didn't know who Blair Waldorf Bass was.

Knowing he had to at least look, Chuck eventually worked up the courage to step up to her casket. Having missed the private family viewing the day before, he knew this was his last chance to get to say goodbye. The crowd of guests who had been waiting their turn parting for him as soon as they saw him silently approach. She looked beautiful as always, he couldn't help thinking as he looked her over one last time, noting she was dressed in the outfit he had picked out for her. While it wasn't anything formal nor one of his absolute favorites, it was a more conservative yet fashionable ensemble he recalled she enjoyed wearing.

When the funeral home had called, requesting he choose an outfit for her and have it sent over he ended up spending most of the day wallowing in her closet as he was overcome with emotion and memories of the times she wore various pieces. His heart broke all over again when picking out jewelry and he came across the Erickson Beamon necklace he had given her for her seventeenth birthday. They had planned on passing it onto Charlotte someday. It hit him hard when he realized that dream would now never happen.

Taking one final moment alone with her, Chuck carefully reached in and took one of her hands in his. It pained him to feel how cold she was, the electric magnetic spark that was always between them now no longer there. Gently rubbing her hand with his thumb, he struggled with his thoughts, a mixture of pain, anger and confusion all in one. Not wanting to prolong things anymore, he slowly ran his fingers through her curls one last time.

"I'll always love you," he whispered as he bent forward, delicately placing one last kiss on her forehead, pausing for just a moment before turning and walking away, willing himself not to look back.

He was just finishing up, saying goodbye to his baby girl who looked like a delicate little angel sleeping peacefully, thinking to himself how she would have been quick to point out the similarities to Snow White when he heard his son's voice begin to cry out nearby.

"Mommy? Mommy, no!" He heard Henry wallow.

Looking around, Chuck witnessed his young son in tears, attempting to wrap his arms around his mother.

"Mommy, please wake up!"

It broke the hearts of everyone who witnessed the scene.

"Damnit," Chuck cursed under his breath, annoyed as Lily was supposed to be watching him, keeping him away from the caskets just for this very reason. He had been hesitant to let Henry attend in the first place but after much coaxing from family the past few days, saying it was important for the boy to pay his last respects, Chuck finally caved and agreed to it.

All eyes were on him now as he began to approach his son.

"Hen," Chuck spoke, sternly but gently as he went to remove his son from Blair.

"Daddy, why won't she wake up?!" The boy cried hysterically as he struggled against Chuck who had attempted to take him into his arms. "Mommy, please!"

"Henry, it's okay..."

"No it's not!" Henry continued to cry and shout over his father's shoulder as Chuck tried to haul him away. "Mommy!"

"It's okay, Hen, it's okay," he gently told the boy over and over as he carried him tightly while maneuvering them through the crowd, desperately searching for Lily.

"Get him out of here," Chuck growled the order at his stepmother, passing his son who was now sobbing uncontrollably off to her. He was beyond furious with her for letting Henry out of her sight, leaving him to discover the remains of his mother. As if Chuck wasn't dealing with enough emotion on his own, the sight of his son outwardly expressing how he himself felt on the inside was almost too much for him.

Staggering back to the limo, he helped himself to another drink, realizing he was going to need even more liquid courage to make it through the service. If it weren't for Nate and Serena on each of his sides he wouldn't have been able to stay.

* * *

"Daddy? We're back... Grandma took me to Serendipity," Henry announced as he walked into their townhouse, passing his father laying on the sofa in the front room, a near empty bottle once again not far from his reach. "Grandma told me I'll see mommy and sister again in heaven someday if I'm good," he stated with a sad but hopeful expression.

"Oh did she?" Chuck questioned as he glared over at Lily who was helping Henry with his coat and suit jacket in the foyer. "Henry, why don't you head upstairs and get ready for bed - I'll be up to tuck you in shortly."

"Why would you tell him that?!" Chuck demanded to know as soon as Henry was up the stairs and out of earshot.

"Charles, please calm down - I know you're not much of a believer in those sort of things, but we were all raised catholic and... if it gives the boy some hope and peace so be it," Lily tried to explain as Chuck scowled.

"You had one job to do today - the only reason I agreed to letting him attend was because you assured me you'd look after him!" he hissed at her. "It's bad enough everyone had to bear witness to him clinging to the body of his dead mother-"

"Charles, I'm sorry - he wandered off while I was addressing some guests and honestly, what was the harm? He deserved to know and say goodbye-"

"It was crowded! He could have easily gotten lost or someone could have taken him! I already lost my wife and daughter, I don't know what I'd do if I lost him too!" Chuck angrily confessed. It was the truth. Henry was now all he had left of Blair.

"Charles, I'm so sorry... I didn't-"

"Just... just go," Chuck ordered as he pinched his brow in frustration. "Just go before I say something I'll regret."

"Alright," Lily replied giving his arm a gentle squeeze in comfort, knowing it had been an emotional day for him and he needed his space to deal with it all.

"Lily, please..." he pleaded at her touch. He knew she meant well, but at the same time, he was still upset with her for earlier.

"Call me if you or especially Henry need anything, promise?" she requested as she let go of him.

"I will," he confirmed, still averting his eyes from hers. He couldn't look at her right now for a number of reasons.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read, followed and favorited this story as well as either left a review or comment elsewhere! I know, I broke your hearts both with part 1 and now even more with part 2. I'm sorry! But in my defense, you were warned ;-)_

 _I'll try to have the last part - part 3 - up sometime in the next week or so. It fast forwards a year, we see a glimpse of the long-term aftermath this tragedy has had on Chuck and Henry but don't worry - every cloud has a silver lining and there's a light at the end of every tunnel!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Part 3 - Hope_

* * *

In the days that followed, Chuck and Henry did their best to continue with their usual daily routines, aside from the fact that two key family members were now absent and the routines needed to be adjusted for that. The nights were the worst though as Henry would often forget that his mother was no longer around to kiss him good night, breaking down in tears almost nightly once he remembered. And Chuck... aside from the occasional solo business trip here and there over the years, he hadn't slept soundly at night without her for years. He too often fell asleep these days with his pillow tear-stained.

Trying to keep some form of normalcy for the boy, Chuck did his best to ensure that someone was always there with Arthur to pick up Henry after school when he himself could not. They used to go as a family every Sunday after brunch at Lily's to feed the ducks at Blair's favorite spot, however even though he tried to keep this tradition alive for the sake of his son, each time they went it only got harder and harder for Chuck to the point where he began sending Dorota to take the boy instead. He just couldn't.

They had always agreed on no nannies for their children, wanting to raise them themselves and give them a childhood different than theirs. Up until this point they had succeeded, being able to take turns getting Henry and Charlotte to this and that along with having the help of both Lily and Dorota, however now... with her gone, and Chuck throwing himself into his work more and more just to have something else to focus on it wasn't so easy. Sadly, after a few months of this and Chuck's increased habit of not coming home at night (instead opting to crash at The Empire with whatever drugs and alcohol he could find to dull the pain), both Lily and Dorota suggested he get a nanny to help look after Henry as Dorota had her own children she needed to attend to and well Lily had her own obligations and couldn't watch after him 24/7 like she had been. And so Chuck caved and hired one. And another. And yet another...

Unfortunately all the younger nannies were quite lecherous, knowing full well that the elder Bass was completely vulnerable these days as each one he hired offered to help him "in any way possible." It's not that he was particularly fond of them (he wasn't), he just hated going to bed and waking up alone. Again, it was something he hadn't been used to in years. Not to mention he was desperate to feel something – anything – other than the constant pain he felt every day and the drugs and alcohol simply weren't doing the trick anymore like they did years ago.

Chuck never dared to bring them home though, often escorting them instead to the penthouse suite he still kept for himself at his Empire. He couldn't bring another in his bed. Their bed. Nor would he want his young son to stumble in either in the middle of the night or early in the morning and find someone other than his mother there. There was no replacing her – he believed there never would be.

He knew he was spiraling downward and back into old habits, yet he also knew that unlike when he was little, Henry had other family such as Dorota and Lily who would look after him so he wasn't too worried. He was slowly beginning to understand what his father had went through and why he had engrossed himself so much with excess and loose women in the years after his mother supposedly died.

It was just a coincidence that all the nannies and women he picked up were the same height, with the same petite build and brunette hair... a coincidence that hadn't gone unnoticed by Nate and Serena.

While to most people, it would appear as if he merely hired the nannies for Henry's sake, what with having a mother figure who at least resembled his own mother in looks, both Nate and Serena were wise enough to know that really he had been hiring them for himself. The fact that the longest one had barely lasted a month was more than telling. They both had attempted multiple times over the year, even going so far as to stage an intervention, to get him to realize what he was doing wasn't healthy nor good for him or Henry but Chuck refused to hear it.

"Perhaps maybe today..." Serena thought to herself, on today of all days, as she approached her stepbrother sitting in his private front and center booth at Victrola. "They told me I'd find you here," she spoke as she sat down next to him, the dancers on stage in the middle of one of their routines. "Do you really think Blair would approve?"

"The whole reason I'm here is because of her... remembering..." Chuck's voice trailed as he continued to stare blankly at the stage, watching no one in particular. Turning to notice that Serena wasn't following, he decided to continue. "She never told you? About our first night together?" he questioned, confused as to how Serena didn't know. "I thought she told you everything..." he remarked as he took a sip of his drink and turned his attention back towards the stage.

"No, that was you – I know there were some things she kept from me but with you, eventually she always told you everything, Chuck," Serena reminded him. "Don't try and pretend you don't know what day it is," she said to him, getting to the point of why she was even there in the first place. "Have you gone to visit them yet?"

"What's the point? They're not coming back," Chuck pointed out, pouring himself another drink from the decanter in front of him and proceeding to snort another line of coke off the small tray in front of him.

"Chuck she wouldn't want this for you, she wouldn't want this for Henry. He deserves better than Bart," she spat out, tired of this charade her stepbrother had been playing for almost a year.

"What did you just say?" he snapped at hearing his father's name.

"You heard me - you're turning into him," Serena called him out. "The excessive drinking... Nate told me about your dealer... the constant parade of women and how many nannies have you gone through in the last year?"

"What can I say? I like a woman with a maternal side, one who can take care of both me _and_ Henry..." he casually stated.

"It's not good for Henry and you know it - don't you remember? You and Blair were going to be the parents that you both never had, having learned from their mistakes so that your own kids wouldn't turn into the damaged messes we all were growing up. You wanted better for them, yet here you are, acting just like your father did when you were growing up and it's affecting your son!" Serena informed him.

"What are you talking about? Henry's fine," Chuck remarked as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass before taking a sip.

"Not according to mom," Serena bit back. "Did you know he's been hanging around and getting in trouble with Milo Sparks!?"

"Henry's in the fourth grade, how much trouble can he get into? And Milo's in the sixth..." Chuck pointed out, not seeing what the problem was. It's not like they were high schoolers.

"So? Carter was only a few years older than you and Nate when he started influencing you both!"

"That was different," Chuck argued.

"Seventh grade, Chuck – seventh grade was when you started going down your destructive path of womanizing and it wasn't too much longer after that that Carter rolled you two your first joint. Milo's going to be in seventh grade next year... considering Georgina is his mother and your Uncle Jack is basically his stepdad, you really think Milo won't be exposed to that stuff soon enough? And introduce Henry to it?" she warned.

"Henry's smart - he'll be fine... and my uncle knows better..."

"Chuck, while you've been burying yourself in work during the day, mom's been having to deal with his teachers calling when you won't answer - he's not fine! He sees how you've been dealing with it this past year and he thinks it's okay to act out. Getting in trouble at school is just the beginning – you of everyone would know that!" Chuck winced at hearing her words, he knew she was right. It was how everything started going downhill for him. "He's even been using 'I'm Henry Bass' as his excuse for his behavior!" she continued.

"Ugh," Chuck groaned in disappointment upon hearing that. _Yeah, okay... something has to be done_ , he told himself. "Fine, I'll talk to him," he sighed in surrender.

"Have you both even gone to see someone? Work through your grief? Counseling could do wonders for him and even you," she suggested as the thought occurred to her. While her mother had Rufus to confide in after Bart's death and Chuck had Blair to help him through it back then, she could only imagine what her nephew must be going through, not knowing if he had anyone he felt comfortable talking to for support.

"Henry has me, he knows I'm there for him," Chuck was quick to comment.

"But does he really, Chuck?" Serena challenged him.

"I'm pretty sure I work my schedule around his," Chuck growled back at her.

"Yeah, sure you show up for his music performances, school events and stick around for holidays and what not but Chuck... we all know you're not really there. Even Henry's aware of that," she pointed out to him.

"It's more than my father ever did for me," he lamented as he looked his glass over, noticing a few remaining drops left in the very bottom that he quickly finished off.

"I really think you both should go see someone," Serena continued. "There's this doctor I saw awhile back-"

"I said I'll talk to him, okay?" Chuck snarled, tired of her hounding him. All he wanted was to just get through this day. "And I'm not still grieving - it's been a year," he added, not wanting to discuss it further with her.

"Chuck..." Serena tried to protest. Having gone through basic grief counseling after the accident and all the various phases of grief herself, she could tell her stepbrother was nowhere near being done grieving. It was more than obvious that he grieved daily whether he admitted it or not.

"I'll see you later sis," Chuck remarked as he got up to leave, needing to be alone and leaving Serena to let herself out.

* * *

"Henry?" Chuck bellowed as he walked through the front door of their townhouse only to hear the sound of a video game playing on the TV in the family den. "Get your coat, we're going to see your mother and sister," he announced. Just like at the funeral last year and the first anniversary of his father's first death, he knew he'd regret not going today.

"Why?" he heard Henry question as he approached the doorway. "You said it yourself - they're gone and they're not coming back so why bother?"

"Hen..." Chuck groaned in frustration, squeezing his brow as his son threw his own words back at him.

"It's not like they can hear or see us!" Henry shot back, Chuck could tell the boy was upset. Clearly the significance of the day was hitting him harder than he had expected.

"Henry, please... pause and save the game and get your coat. It's just something we need to do," Chuck tried pleading with him.

"I'm not going! I said goodbye to them last year... I don't want to go – it's pointless and you can't make me!" he argued with his father.

"Henry," Chuck sighed. He really wasn't up for arguing this with him.

"Why don't you have one of the nannies you like so much or even Dorota go with you if you don't want to go alone - I have homework to do," Henry stated in anger, tossing his controller on the floor and walking away. "I'll be in my room - that's what mom would have wanted, right? 'Get good grades, Hen – make your mother proud,'" he mocked as he took off up the stairs causing Chuck to shut his eyes as he fought back frustrated tears.

"What have you done?" He asked himself as he stood there, unsure of what to do.

If it wasn't for Blair, he never would have visited his father's grave that first year, yet he was glad he did. He wished there was someway he could change his son's mind, however it was already starting to get dark out and the florists would be closing soon. Deciding he needed to go, alone or not, he adjusted his coat and proceeded back to front the door. Maybe he'd find some comfort and guidance while visiting her.

* * *

It had been long overdue, him coming to this place.

"Buttercups for my little Buttercup," he quietly spoke as he carefully laid the yellow flowers on his daughter's grave, recalling how his little princess was obsessed with princesses and when he showed her The Princess Bride movie the name stuck. He remembered the first time she saw buttercups in person and how she couldn't get over how pretty they were.

Pausing for a moment, he laid the other bouquet he held - lavender peonies - on the grave next to his daughter's, standing there with an open bottle he took from the limo's minibar as he took a sip from it in silence, lost in his thoughts.

"Hey," Serena's voice spoke to him from behind, causing him to turn his head just slightly in recognition. "The flowers are beautiful, they would have loved them."

"About earlier..." he started, his voice trying not to crack under the weight of emotion."I just... I just miss her so much," he stated as he closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall as he clutched the neck of the bottle in his hand. "Both of them," he whispered as he thought of his little girl, replaying the image of the last time he saw her, asleep next to Blair in their bed, remembering the last time he held her close, having put her to bed the night before the accident.

"I know you do," Serena spoke softly as she gently rubbed a comforting hand along her stepbrother's back. "We all do... you know I loved Blair as much as you did, she was a sister to me... and well, Charlotte... that little girl lit up the room when she entered, brightening everyone's day," she told him. At that, the tears began to fall and delicately, Serena took her stepbrother into her arms as he clutched onto her in return, falling apart completely.

"This past year... I've tried to fill the void to stop the pain but... no matter what I try, it still feels like part of me is missing... gone even. I think part of me died that day with her," Chuck sobbed as he finally vocalized what he had been going through all year.

"Maybe part of you did... she was a big part of your life as were you to hers," Serena agreed as she thought it over. "She may be physically gone Chuck, but you're forgetting - that little boy of yours... he's also part her. And I know he tries not to show it but he's just as scared about the future as you are. He's just a kid, you need to be the strong one - he needs you to be strong for him."

"I didn't want this for him, sis... I didn't want him to have a childhood like mine," Chuck softly confessed as he crouched down in front of the two graves, side by side, reaching out to run his fingers along one of the plaques.

"And he doesn't have to Chuck – there's still time to change things. You can still be the father he deserves, the one he needs. You don't have to be Bart," Serena urged as she watched him. "Make him feel safe. His world fell apart that day too, don't alienate yourself from him like your father did to you."

"You're right... we said we would be better parents to our children... Henry's acting out because of me.

She wouldn't have wanted this, he deserves better," he decided, wiping away his tears as he made the decision that right then and there to turn his life back around and be the father his son deserved and needed. He knew Blair would be completely disappointed at the way he had fallen apart, challenging him to be better and threatening to kick ass into gear, most likely coming up with some scheme of a plan to get him to do her bidding. "Thanks, sis," he told her as he continued to stare at their graves. He felt Serena give his shoulder a slight squeeze, letting him know that she was still there with him, still there to help.

* * *

"Hen... can we talk?" Chuck asked as he stood in the doorway of his son's room a little while later after returning home from the cemetery.

"I guess - do I have a choice?" The boy sneered, continuing to be engrossed in his book.

"Henry, put the book down for a minute," Chuck requested as he came to sit on the edge of his son's bed.

Looking at his son - really looking at him for the first time in almost a year - he could hardly believe the young man in front of him was the same boy whom he had pried away from his mother's casket almost a year ago. He realized then that he had been so consumed by his own grief that he completely missed an entire year of his son's life. The thought made what was left of his heart ache even more.

"Son, I owe you an apology. This last year... I haven't exactly been the father you needed. I've failed you greatly in that regard. Your mother would be so disappointed with me..." Chuck started.

"Dad... it's okay, I get it..." Henry told him, sitting up as his interest was piqued. It was the first time in a long time his father had bothered to try and connect with him.

"No, it's not okay... you deserve better," Chuck went on, laying across the bottom of his son's bed to better get on his level. "Your mother and I... well... your Grandmere loves you, don't ever forget that, but she wasn't always the attentive family member she is to you – she used to make your mother feel about two inches tall when she was growing up, not necessarily on purpose, but because she was more focused on her work and career than actually being involved in your mother's life. Dorota actually took care of your mother most of the time," he explained.

"But you had Grandma Lily," Henry was quick to point out as he sat up on his knees, intrigued by the conversation.

"Not always," Chuck corrected him. "Grandma Lily didn't become part of my family until I was almost twice your age. Before that, it was just me and my father."

"Bart," Henry spoke, recalling the name of that man that would have been grandpa, yet they rarely spoke of him. The only pictures he had ever seen of the man were a few from when he married Grandma Lily and of course the big one of the founder of Bass Industries that was prominently displayed in the lobby of the offices.

"Yes, Bart," Chuck continued. "And well... before my father and Grandma Lily married... before I was born actually, Bart fell in love and was married to a woman named Evelyn – my birth mother. And while the truth is complicated and I still don't exactly quite understand what happened, for the longest time I was led to believe that she died while giving birth to me. I grew up thinking my father resented me – that he didn't want me around... that I was nothing but an inconvenience. I've realized recently that some of the things I've been doing this past year, my behavior... and while I've made sure to attend all your school activities and be there for holidays and the important things... I'll admit I wasn't really there completely. For the most part I've been acting like my father, Hen. And I'm sorry for that," he confessed to the child in front of him. "I really am... your mother and I agreed years ago that we would never be like our parents, treating our children how our parents treated us... and yet, here I've failed you. You deserve better than that."

"I miss her, daddy..." Henry spoke, tears welling up in the young boy's eyes.

"I know you do, believe me, I know," Chuck repeated as he sat up and embraced his son tightly. "There's not a day that goes by I don't think about her or your sister," he told him as he felt his son quietly sobbing against him.

"I even miss Charlotte, as annoying as she could be..." Henry sniffled a good minute later, wiping his tears from his cheeks. "I used to get so upset at her for taking my GI Joe's and marrying them off to her stupid dolls... but now... I kind of miss that..." he admitted as Chuck passed him a tissue from the box on the nightstand, prompting him to blow his nose.

"I promise, from now on, things are going to be different - no more drinking, no more nannies... just you and me, Hen... and of course, Arthur, Dorota and Grandma Lily to help out, okay?" Chuck assured him. Starting now, things were going to be different. They needed to be different. For both their sakes.

"Okay, dad," Henry agreed as he threw himself into his father's arms once more, hopeful that maybe things could be normal between the two of them once more. He had missed his father greatly this past year.

"I love you, Hen – don't ever forget that – and I swear we'll get through this," Chuck promised him as he held him tightly once more. "Why don't you go get ready for bed and we can read together? I recall we never finished reading the Narnia series," he suggested as he realized it had been far too long since he read to his son before bed. With a kiss to the top of his shaggy brown head, he let his son go to get ready. "Oh and Hen?" he called after him as a thought occurred to him, causing Henry to pause in his tracks and look back at his father curiously. "Tomorrow, we'll go visit the ducks, okay? Just the two of us."

The immediate look of surprise on his son's face and awe in his eyes was all the assurance Chuck needed. They could do this. They would get through this. Together.

As he waited, he decided to send both Dorota and Arthur texts instructing them to discard all the alcohol from the house and the limo as well as instructing his staff at The Empire to clean out anything and everything they found in the penthouse. He had relied too heavily on the drugs and alcohol this past year and in order to make the changes he promised his son, he knew staying sober would be a good start.

Once that was done, he began going through his phone's contact list, removing the name of every woman that wasn't Lily, Serena, Dorota, Eleanor, his secretary or some necessary business contact. He wouldn't need the whores in his life anymore.

Would he ever be able to love another again? His father did years later with Lily, however he wasn't going to hold his breath nor even bother looking. Blair was and always would be the love of his life and the mother of his children. There was no point in even attempting to replace her – to do so was simply impossible and he knew it. For now, he was going to focus on his son, being the father to him that he knew Blair always believed he could be.

* * *

 _AN: And there you have it, the conclusion... for now =D_

 _At the suggestion of Mary (Scarlett2u) I might update this later on with an epilogue, taking place years down the road, but we shall see ;-)_

 _I know some have suggested a future love interest for Chuck and mother-figure for Henry, however for now I decided to keep this one open-ended as personally I have a hard time seeing/reading Chuck long-term with anyone other than Blair._

 _Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this as well as comment/review and favorite/follow it. I know I broke your hearts with this one - it was a sad one to write, however I do appreciate all the lovely feedback and responses! If you haven't already, be sure to check out my other works on here if you've enjoyed my writing!_

 _Until next time! XOXO_


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